The Jackson era: Advancing medicine, celebrating excellence

Brooks Jackson, MD, MBA, led University of Iowa Health Care through a time of major expansion, quickly modified operations in response to an unprecedented pandemic, and consistently prioritized faculty and student achievement and scholarship.

Jackson, University of Iowa Vice President for Medical Affairs (VPMA) and the Tyrone D. Artz Dean of the Carver College of Medicine, announced in February that he will step down from his leadership role but remain as a faculty member.

What initially drew Jackson to Iowa from his previous post at the University of Minnesota, he noted, was its “outstanding reputation across the country,” with notably high National Institutes of Health research funding per faculty member, a dynamic medical school curriculum that attracts a high-caliber student population, world-class facilities, and the institution’s emphasis on great patient care.

Jackson also has been a staunch supporter of faculty, staff, and students by acknowledging and celebrating their successes. He launched the college’s Wall of Scholarship and Impact Scholars programs to spotlight researchers whose published research papers have made a significant impact. He also established new scholarship opportunities for students through the Carver Black and Gold Run, an annual event that also promotes fitness and healthy lifestyle choices.

Jackson also encouraged students to become well-rounded physicians by emphasizing the importance of the arts and humanities in medicine. Drawing on his own interests and Iowa’s reputation as the “Writing University,” he helped create the Carver College of Medicine Writing Anthology, an annual collection of poems and short fiction from students, resident physicians and fellows, and postdoctoral scholars.

“I’ve worked with so many talented and dedicated people across UI Health Care and the broader university—it’s been a great experience,” Jackson says. “Iowa is a special place, and I look forward to continuing my research, teaching, and clinical interests as a faculty member.”